At first the article seems to have two very separate points. The one about "death of the nerd", and the one about watered-down gaming. Actually they make sense together, though. They are tied together by the point about an invention first being an exclusive luxury to being "watered down and sugar coated" to the masses, hopefully continuing from there to be improved. This is true of the automobile. Now most everyone has one. So Wow is a success, if not in quality, but as a gateway for anyone to play Mmo's, and for "nerds" to be assimilated into mainstream.
As others have said, though, it's true that the definition of "nerd" just changes to include the mainstream shift. If playing an Mmo isn't considered nerdy anymore, there is a point of technological knowledge and social separation that will be considered nerdy. It's subjective.
(\_/) (O.o) (> <) This is Bunny. Copy Bunny into your signature to help him on his way to world domination!
Reklaw - Very useful supplemental information. Thanks for posting it. Originally posted by Jimmy_Scythe
Have you ever paid attention to the media stereotypes of gamers?
Actually there was a very interesting segment on NPR a couple of months back where they talked about 'Gray Gamers'. The segment was about a new gaming market - the growing number of retired people who have large amounts of time and are turning to online games.
They interviewed grandmothers (yes, grandmothers) who were playing Guild Wars. The women said they enjoyed the online game partly for the social aspect but also because they felt it helped to keep thier minds active, something which doctors are learning is very important for the mental health of the elderly. I'll admit it was kind of weird hearing these elderly women discussing how they were going to kill a sea monster as they played but at the same time I think the segment gave us a look into the future of the genre.
The NPR segment would not have possible without some of the points the OP's artcle mentioned. Online games have finally broken through with game mechanics that are actually fun and they are attracting a wider variety of people.
Certainly other online games based on classics like poker or Scrabble are also popular, but I think it would be a mistake for MMORPGs to ignore people who might be quite willing to buy and play their games as long as developers avoid the hardcore game mechanics that alienated the genre so much in the past.
As online games become more and more widespread, they will no longer be relegated to the exclusive domain of nerds, but never fear tabletop D&D will probably be around for a long time
That is hilarious. Maybe those grandmothers are nerds too. Can you imagine calling a grandma a nerd?
(\_/) (O.o) (> <) This is Bunny. Copy Bunny into your signature to help him on his way to world domination!
Anyways, yes MMOs are well known to most but its a small %. The so called "nerd" or at least the way they look on the outside its almost gone but they still out there. Like some1 stated here, all this is happening because of sc. improvement.
More ppl like the avg Joe will play more or get in touch with MMos or pcs game developers will come to realize that us "hardcore gamers" are not easy to satisfy. As companies come with games easy to play/grind and with appealing story lines and such. Guess what is going to happen to the avg "Joe"? They will loose interest because they are easy to achieve the goals set.
Thanks to this mistake done by some companies, they will be good/exclusive tittles for us the "hardcore gamers". In short, Im not worry about my good games. The less avg joe plays them, the better.
Gaming is not mainstream. It does exist, but is only acceptable in children. As others have said. I would rather say that the myth of the "nerd" is headed for extinction. That all consuming generalisation about a group of people will be broken. Just like the one that all black people are inferior was shattered way back when.
I enjoyd the article, I think the image of nerd is dying or changing. Most people who I know and who have played console or pc at some point in their life are still playing. I started playing in 1985 and still going strong, and you wouldn't never ever guess that I'm nerd when you see me on street Ofcourse I have met people who goes into category "How can you kill something which has absolutely no life?" (God save South Park) but it's changing because nerd image don't sell. If you read magazines like Loaded, FHM, Arena or even Playboy, you'll find game reviews or advertisements.
*sigh* What a pointless sh*t stirring article. Gaming is not mainstream. It does exist, but is only acceptable in children. As others have said. I would rather say that the myth of the "nerd" is headed for extinction. That all consuming generalisation about a group of people will be broken. Just like the one that all black people are inferior was shattered way back when.
Its interesting that you lock gaming absolute in one sentance but reconize the "nerds" change in another.
Anima is Cartoons. Cartoons are only for children (American stereotype) thus they will never be taken seriously. I don't agree with these statements just as I don't agree that "Gaming is not mainstream." We all know the sales and sub numbers. Large amounts of money are made with both industries thus giving them importance. Just like technology, the "Nerd" has changed and evolved.
The true defining feature of a Nerd is the obsession to his interest which is usually complex and makes the "common Joe" say "Thats too high brow for me." Of course, Joe might also say "Whoa, that sure looks cool." The lack of social skills and funny dress are non-required window dressing. Heh, exchange Pocket Protectors with Palm Pilots and see who now looks like a Nerd.
Good article, Dan. I especially liked the paragraph describing how developers have "lowered the bar" just to make sales. There really is no such thing as an mmoRPG anymore. Every MMO is a sandbox full of the victims of failed parenting (aka: friggin brats) and those over the age of 30 who act like the afore mentioned. I would truly like to see an MMORPG made where adventure and exploration are emphasized instead of power-leveling and loot whoring.
[quote]Its interesting that you lock gaming absolute in one sentance but reconize the "nerds" change in another[/quote]
*sigh* again. This is the part where i tell you are not reading what i wrote last post. I said the generalisation of the term "nerd" would be headed for extinction. I did not say the people have changed, they never were what people called them. They are just people who play video games, no different.
Gaming is not "mainstream". Mainstream is shopping or dinner partys or restaurants or theme parks or sporting events etc. I agree that gamers are getting older. Thats what makes the numbers look bigger. But in terms of a percentage of each generation who play video games, it isnt mainstream.
WoW as 7 million subcribers worldwide. Even if that number were correct, there are still 6 billion people on the planet. 260 million in USA. Rougly the same in europe. 20 million in Australia. Singapore? Taiwan? China? Vietnam? etc. Its about proportion not numbers.
marvelous article...but the nerd is not dead yet! I am 37, wear glasses, dropped out of my computer and video game university course because i did not have enough time for gaming, play on a 200" screen, my main game is Dungeons and Dragons, Stormreach....and if i did not have a girlfriend (of 19) I would max 40 hours a week...I am the Prince of Nerds!
Good article, Dan. I especially liked the paragraph describing how developers have "lowered the bar" just to make sales. There really is no such thing as an mmoRPG anymore. Every MMO is a sandbox full of the victims of failed parenting (aka: friggin brats) and those over the age of 30 who act like the afore mentioned. I would truly like to see an MMORPG made where adventure and exploration are emphasized instead of power-leveling and loot whoring.
I wouldn't go as far as to say that there is no such thing as mmoRPG's anymore. Granted, do not expect the large AAA companies to make such titles, but do look for the upcoming wave of indie companies. mmoRPG's as you put it, are a niche market.
The only thing I don't agree with your post is that last sentence. I'd say we are just now getting out of the Spagetti Westrens of MMOs (MUDs were the Silent Fims of MMORPGs)
I can see your point and in a certain point of view is valid. Though in my opinion, there is yet one milestone that has not been reached yet. We should see it happen next year and enter the stage of Black & White. (I think of MUD's as still pictures... I know this is just splitting hairs of an anology)
I have to say, I agree completely with the author's assessment of the state of affairs in the MMO industry. I blogged extensively on this exact same subject on my Myspace page recently, and went on to include that MMO trends, and "accessibility" are creeping into single player games. The most recent and devastating example being Final Fantasy XII which for all intents and purposes was little more than an "offline" MMORPG, capturing all the grind and tedium of most MMO's, and utterly failing to continue the otherwise pristine Final Fantasy lineage. But, I digress, a rant already given in another place. I do, to restate, completely agree with the author's assertions in this weeks MMOWTF. Kudos.
Comments
I still think this article hurts my head.
At first the article seems to have two very separate points. The one about "death of the nerd", and the one about watered-down gaming. Actually they make sense together, though. They are tied together by the point about an invention first being an exclusive luxury to being "watered down and sugar coated" to the masses, hopefully continuing from there to be improved. This is true of the automobile. Now most everyone has one. So Wow is a success, if not in quality, but as a gateway for anyone to play Mmo's, and for "nerds" to be assimilated into mainstream.
As others have said, though, it's true that the definition of "nerd" just changes to include the mainstream shift. If playing an Mmo isn't considered nerdy anymore, there is a point of technological knowledge and social separation that will be considered nerdy. It's subjective.
(\_/)
(O.o)
(> <) This is Bunny. Copy Bunny into your signature to help him on his way to world domination!
Actually there was a very interesting segment on NPR a couple of months back where they talked about 'Gray Gamers'. The segment was about a new gaming market - the growing number of retired people who have large amounts of time and are turning to online games.
They interviewed grandmothers (yes, grandmothers) who were playing Guild Wars. The women said they enjoyed the online game partly for the social aspect but also because they felt it helped to keep thier minds active, something which doctors are learning is very important for the mental health of the elderly. I'll admit it was kind of weird hearing these elderly women discussing how they were going to kill a sea monster as they played but at the same time I think the segment gave us a look into the future of the genre.
The NPR segment would not have possible without some of the points the OP's artcle mentioned. Online games have finally broken through with game mechanics that are actually fun and they are attracting a wider variety of people.
Certainly other online games based on classics like poker or Scrabble are also popular, but I think it would be a mistake for MMORPGs to ignore people who might be quite willing to buy and play their games as long as developers avoid the hardcore game mechanics that alienated the genre so much in the past.
As online games become more and more widespread, they will no longer be relegated to the exclusive domain of nerds, but never fear tabletop D&D will probably be around for a long time
That is hilarious. Maybe those grandmothers are nerds too. Can you imagine calling a grandma a nerd?
(\_/)
(O.o)
(> <) This is Bunny. Copy Bunny into your signature to help him on his way to world domination!
Well well well,
For some reason I read the article.
Anyways, yes MMOs are well known to most but its a small %. The so called "nerd" or at least the way they look on the outside its almost gone but they still out there. Like some1 stated here, all this is happening because of sc. improvement.
More ppl like the avg Joe will play more or get in touch with MMos or pcs game developers will come to realize that us "hardcore gamers" are not easy to satisfy. As companies come with games easy to play/grind and with appealing story lines and such. Guess what is going to happen to the avg "Joe"? They will loose interest because they are easy to achieve the goals set.
Thanks to this mistake done by some companies, they will be good/exclusive tittles for us the "hardcore gamers". In short, Im not worry about my good games. The less avg joe plays them, the better.
PS. dont know if I made any sense but oh well.
*sigh* What a pointless sh*t stirring article.
Gaming is not mainstream. It does exist, but is only acceptable in children. As others have said. I would rather say that the myth of the "nerd" is headed for extinction. That all consuming generalisation about a group of people will be broken. Just like the one that all black people are inferior was shattered way back when.
Its interesting that you lock gaming absolute in one sentance but reconize the "nerds" change in another.
Anima is Cartoons. Cartoons are only for children (American stereotype) thus they will never be taken seriously. I don't agree with these statements just as I don't agree that "Gaming is not mainstream." We all know the sales and sub numbers. Large amounts of money are made with both industries thus giving them importance. Just like technology, the "Nerd" has changed and evolved.
The true defining feature of a Nerd is the obsession to his interest which is usually complex and makes the "common Joe" say "Thats too high brow for me." Of course, Joe might also say "Whoa, that sure looks cool." The lack of social skills and funny dress are non-required window dressing. Heh, exchange Pocket Protectors with Palm Pilots and see who now looks like a Nerd.
[quote]Its interesting that you lock gaming absolute in one sentance but reconize the "nerds" change in another[/quote]
*sigh* again. This is the part where i tell you are not reading what i wrote last post. I said the generalisation of the term "nerd" would be headed for extinction. I did not say the people have changed, they never were what people called them. They are just people who play video games, no different.
Gaming is not "mainstream". Mainstream is shopping or dinner partys or restaurants or theme parks or sporting events etc. I agree that gamers are getting older. Thats what makes the numbers look bigger. But in terms of a percentage of each generation who play video games, it isnt mainstream.
WoW as 7 million subcribers worldwide. Even if that number were correct, there are still 6 billion people on the planet. 260 million in USA. Rougly the same in europe. 20 million in Australia. Singapore? Taiwan? China? Vietnam? etc. Its about proportion not numbers.
I wouldn't go as far as to say that there is no such thing as mmoRPG's anymore. Granted, do not expect the large AAA companies to make such titles, but do look for the upcoming wave of indie companies. mmoRPG's as you put it, are a niche market.
Sign off,
Hamilton
Sign off,
Hamilton